Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I. L. MOORE. GAB COUPLING.

No. 495,595. Patented Apr. 18, 1893.

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. L. MOORE.

GAR COUPLING. No. 495,595. Patented Apr. 18, 1893.

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' ATTORNEY)? UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIcs.

LEVI MOORE, OF BARABOO, WISCONSIN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,595, dated April18, 1893..

Application filed July 15,1892- Serial No. 440,166- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI MOORE, of Baraboo, in the county of Sank andState of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in car couplings of the link and pintype; and its objects are to provide improved link support ing andadjusting devices, and improved pin supports whereby a coupling may beautomatically and safely effected and therefore it consists in the novelconstructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described andclaimed.

Referring to the drawings by figures-:- Figure 1 represents a detail topview of a coupling, showing two draw-bars and the operative parts. Fig.2 is a side view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a couplingdetached. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the couplingshowing the link supporting plate adjusted to uphold a link prior to thecoupling being eifected. Fig. 5 is a detail top sectional view showingthe pin supporting slide plate and its operating devices. Fig. 6 is afront view of the coupling. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showingthe bumpers. Figs. 8 and 9 are details.

Referring to the drawings by letters,A represents a draw-bar which ismounted under the end of car in substantially the usual manner, and A isa spring adapted to force the draw-bar forward so that it will normallystand with its head or mouth projecting beyond the end of car. As shownthis draw-bar has a central mouth B, and a mouth b at each side thereof,or three in all each having openings in its top and bottom for thepassage of the pins 0, c, 0, respectively as indicated in the drawings.The draw-bar may also have slots 12' at its front corners which aretransfixed by pins 0 c. The object of the multiplicity of months is toenable additional pin and link connections to be made between cars, sothat should one link or pin connection break the other would hold; but Ialso may use a single mouthed draw-bar substantially like those inordinary use.

Pins 0 are preferably made U-shaped and of spring steel and aresuspended by a chain or link at from a cranked shaft D attached to theend of car, by which means the pin can be drawn up so as to release thelink from the side of car. Pins 0, 0, may be similarly connected to saidshaft. The object of the U-shaped pin is to cushion the draft strainthereon in pushing or starting the car as the legs of the pin will bedrawn together when under great strain and subsequently spring apart,without bending or breaking as might an ordinary straight and rigid pin.

E designates the pin supporting plate moving transversely of thedraw-bar in guides e, 6, over the mouths and across the pin openings.This, platehas openings in it adapted to register with the pin openingsin the top of draw-bar when the plate is in one position, and when theplate is in the other position it will prevent the pins dropping in thepin openings. F is an oscillating lever pivoted on top of the draw-barand loosely engaging the plate at one end, as shown, and its other endis beveled, or diagonally slotted as at f to engage a pin F attached tothe bottom of car or other fixed support, by which the lever is forcedto oscillate, when the draw-bar is pushed inward beneath the car, andthereby plate E moved so as to register its openings with the pinopenings and let the pins drop. When more than two pins are used on thesame draw-bar as in Fig. 1 I make the side openings in plate E long sothat the plate may move when pins 0, c, are down, thus letting theoperation of coupling be made with j the central pin only, as if therewere but a single coupling pin. The sides of pins are slotted so thatwhen they are down the plate can be moved back and forth without injury.

The springs A forces the draw-bar outward, so that the plate E isnormally in position to uphold a pin.

The draw-bars on difierent cars frequently stand at different levelshence it is necessary to hold the link in an inclined position so as tocause it to enter the draw-bar.

I provide meansfor supporting the linkin any position desired, asfollows:-

G designates a plate supported on the front ends of two slidable rods f,f, which are supported in openings in the lower part of draw-bar and across bar in rear thereof, or by other suitable hangers so that it liesjust below the mouth of draw-bar. To rods f, f, are attached smallerrods g, g, the front ends of which rest in openings in the lower part ofthe head of draw-bar and are projected therethrough when the rods aredrawn outward.

F designates a link supporting plate strung loosely on rods f, f,between the drawbar and plate G having vertically elongated slotsthrough which rods f pass, and also having perforations g g by which itcan be suspended on the front ends of rods g, 9, when the latter aredrawn outward.

When a coupling is to be effected the plate G is drawn out in front ofthe draw-bar causing this rod g to project in front thereof; plates F isthen lifted by hand and suspended on rods g, and its upper edge thenstands above the plate G. By moving plate F toward or from the mouth ofdraw-bar, the link Z which rests thereon may be set at any inclinationso as to enter the mouth of the opposed draw-bar, whether it is high orlow without the brakeman having to remain between the cars and risk hisperson in effecting the coupling. As the cars come together, plate G isfirst struck and pushed back, and just as the link enters the mouth ofthe opposed draw-bar, rods g are withdrawn from plate F and the latterdrops until caught by rods f. Both plates G" and G may then be pushedback close to the drawbar without injury.

If desired the plates F may be loosely confined close to the end ofdraw-bar by headed pins or screws G6 (see Fig. 8) which pass through acentral vertical slot in the plate, thereby allowing the plate to bevertically moved but preventing its outward movement andfacilitating itsadjustment on rods g, g.

The bumpers H of the cars may be, and preferably are, arranged above thedraw-bars as shown so that the draw-bars in coupling may move backthereunder until the bump ers contact.

I preferably employ cushioning bumpers constructed substantially asshown in Fig. 7; these consist of an outer metallic portion H having abacking II of wood and confined in a metallic keeper l-l secured to theend of the car; stout springs it being interposed between the backing Hand a bar h rigidly secured across the car. By this construction theshocks incident to coupling are neither so SB". vere nor so damaging tothe cars.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent thereon, is-

1. In a car coupling the combination of an inwardly moving draw-bar;asliding pin supporting plate movable transversely of the draw-bar andmounted thereon over the pin opening and means substantially asdescribed whereby said plate is automatically shifted when the draw-baris pushed inward so as to let the pin drop, substantially as described.

2. In a car coupling the combination of the draw-bar having pinopenings, a sliding pin supporting plate having an opening adapted toregister with the top pin opening when the plate is properly shifted,and an oscillating lever adapted to shift said plate, substantiallyasand for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the draw-bar, the slidable rods thereunder, andthe link supporting plate detachably supported by said rods,substantially as and for the purpose described. I

4. The combination of the draw-bar the sliding rods thereunder, theplate connected to the front ends thereof, and an adjustable linksupporting plate between the said plate and draw-bar substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination of the draw-bar, the sliding rods attached thereto,the plate connected to the front ends of said rods, the link supportingplate loosely suspended on said rods between the connected plate anddrawbar, and the sliding rods for holding said link supporting plate inoperative position, substantially as specified.

6. For a link and pin car coupling, a bent U-shaped spring-pin,substantially as specified.

7. The combination with the car of the bumpers mounted in a recess orkeeper having a wooden backing, and cushioning springs behind thebacking, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aifix my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

LEVI MOORE.

Witnesses:

A. W. HARFORT, M. L. PATTERSON.

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